


NPC snippets: Crystal

by DarkCaller



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition, Gen, Homebrew Content, NPCs - Freeform, Past Abuse, human wizard - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-05-01 21:21:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19185718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkCaller/pseuds/DarkCaller
Summary: Crystal Levticus wasn't someone who welcomed people into her life nor was she someone who let herself be welcomed. Unfortunately after encountering a halfling rouge and joining his companion's guild in order to be rid of the annoying thief she was traveling with, both of these oddities in her life became the norm. If only they had clawed their way into her life years ago...(a series of snippets about my player's accidental favorite wizard NPC, Crystal.)





	1. The first of many

**Author's Note:**

> Crystal is a NPC that has joined the player's guild, helped enchant items, figure out tongue in cheek ways to circumvent the big bad, and is now dating a new player's cleric character. Shes the group's favorite and has a hand full of fics i used to keep my players entertained (and to help answer questions they had but felt they couldn't get answers to in game).   
> this chapter/snippet is a conversation she has with a player's wizard character, Adolamin Swordhand.

“And is that better than being allowed to worry about people you care about?”

It was for a second- unnoticeable by anyone she hopped- but she remembered how she ended up with _that rouge_. The wizard stood silently for but a second as her memories came back. A hospital room, a trunk of small pouches of gold - _100 gold pieces for every good mark_ \- and a sudden change in health.

 

                “Yes”. Brown eyes refocused as Crystal locked back onto Adolamin. “I don’t have the luxury of keeping my loved ones at arm’s length so I just keep them away at all times.”

 

She saw though Adolamin shortly after Wellby brought her to the guild: powerful magic user who keeps to himself despite his “fame”. He was hiding something and at the time she hadn’t known it was * _affection_ * of all things but it made sense now. She could relate to hiding such a dangerous tool.

 

Affection was used against her-* _we’re so proud of you, Crystal. We love you, Crystal. Good work, Crystal*_.- to make her do what they wanted- *You can do better than this. Don’t make me punish you. Work harder!*- and it worked. Positive responses to good actions. It was simple psychology and as a child she had no idea how quickly she would become dependent on it. *She* would dangle it over Crystal’s little patina head and lure her to do what ever *she* wanted.

 

                “If you love me you would do this.” *she* would say and when that no longer worked “Your farther sold you to me, you know.”

Affection was a weapon and hiding it protects those you love. She understands that.

                “The guild was different and proved I shouldn’t have gotten close.” She didn’t know why she said it but it felt true.

Adolamin stared at her for a moment, arms folded with a low brow look. He lowered his head, a small laugh escaped him. “You think that keeps you from worrying?”

She felt herself flinch. She didn’t but she felt it as nurses she hadn’t seen in years were heard and the smell of copper and smoke surfaced.

 

                _*“I don’t understand, she was doing fine last week!”*_ ** **I wasn’t here last week.****  
                *“ _Shes relapsed so fast, what happened_?”* ** **I came to visit**.**

                *“ _There isn’t anything different about her!”*_ ** **I’m the difference**.**

 

Blinking hard the enchantress returned to the present. “No, but it keeps me from getting directly involved-“ she didn’t want to stop there * _he might catch that_ * “-in going to a dragon island and getting them back.” She was still angry at the teifling.

 

“Do you, perhaps, think that being able to be directly involved might be something worth having?”

 

That hung in her head longer than she wanted to admit. Adolamin was really trying to get into her head and she didn’t like it. She didn’t like people trying to get into her head: when they wanted into her head they wanted *into* her head.

 

The Levticuses tried to get into her head. Jasmin and Jessica groomed her to be just like them- _keep your hair short, Crystal. Sit up, Crystal._ \- and when she refused they drowned her in *them*. She only recently got over her fear of bugs; funny, it was because she dreamed of being at the tower. Of being part of the guild. She opened her mouth to reply-

                “Your farther would leave a coin pouch every time he came to tell me about your studies.” The woman with tarnished silver hair lay in the hospital cot, her breathing normal but something was off as her chest barely rose.

                “Every time I got a good mark…” Crystal was kneeling in front of the open chest, hundreds of pouches sitting before her. “Mom theres enough to pay your bills…” Brown eyes glanced up and the elder frowned.

                “I think he knew they were going to kill him…” the older human shuddered for a moment. “They didn’t want to give you back… so they took out the only person who knew where you were…”

 

 _”If I had known I would have worked harder…”_  the copper haired girl thought as she rose to her feet.

Her mother started coughing then. The wizard didn’t see the bits of blood or witness them dissolve into smoke. She had already gotten the clerics.

If she hadn’t come her mother would have been *fine*. If she had worked harder when she was younger her mother would have been *fine*. If she had just accept the bugs-

 

                “No. I do not believe it is worth having.” She could feel her skin crawl at the memory.

                “That is sad to hear.” Adolamin didn’t look up. He pushed off the wall and muttered something as he snapped his fingers.

 

There was a beat. And then her mind caught up with her ears.

_Wish I could choose to be directly involved whenever I felt-_

Mr. keeps his loved ones at arm’s length.

Mr. hides in the library of lore all night and day.

Mr. braids his little sister’s hair and acts like he didn’t do anything at all.

Mr. I’m going to talk with this wayward wizard to keep her part of the guild.

And now Mr. wishes he could be directly involved with his loved ones.

To say she was angry was an understatement. She was _angry_  with Capri for running off with his new boyfriend –and if she was the * _only_ * one to catch onto _that_  well- because the dragon stole him and he didn’t even bother telling anyone. She was _angry_  with Ardor for not being open about something bothering her and then sitting in her room all day _like we’re all supposed to know you’re sad_. And she was _angry_  with Muzuzuzu for running off and possibly getting hurt _right after she started caring about him_. Adolamin cracking for but a second in front of her only to reveal he * _wants_ * to be involved didn’t make her angry.

Crystal was furious.

                “EXCUSE ME?” The message was sent and he was listening. “Don’t you DARE think *I* didn’t hear that SIR.” He wasn’t responding but he didn’t have to. “If you think you can just LEAVE after saying *that* you’re wrong!”

After a moment or two of yelling at the avatar a decision was made: she’ll stay at the guild and stay with the people she cared so much about-if at the very least to take a hold of the elder’s bull shit “keep my loved ones at arm’s length” habit and break it over her knee. It didn’t make sense to her- you want to be involved with your loved ones but you choose to keep them away?

She wasn’t going to force him or push him, but if she can learn to show affection so could he. If she could learn to let others in so could he. If he thinks being aloof will keep people safe she’ll prove to him it doesn’t matter; they’ll get hurt anyway. She had to learn the hard way so now her new brother will learn the not-so-life-changing-way. And at the end of the day maybe he’ll get used to his new sister- _Congratulations I’m adopting you, Adolamin_.


	2. A accidental flash back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A player accidentally threw crystal into a PTSD like anxiety attack and discord kept cutting her out when she was asking (in character) what was happening, the character making the situation worse with a dominate person spell.  
> these are the events that were going though Crystal's mind and how the players present reacted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crystal goes into a lot of flash backs that aren't marked and there isn't any indication of where they start and end. just putting that out there.

The purple cloth moved in slow motion. Crystal could count down from the moment Kristia said she met someone at The North Tower and pulled the damned thing out of her bag to the moment her heart stopped.

                _”Jasmin was still alive”._ She thought. _”Kristia met Jasmin.”_ Her heart hurt like a cold vice was wrapping around it. _”I can’t escape her...”_ she froze.

The blanket drifted down as Crystal watched it. She had to get the laundry today and it beat studying. Aunt Jessica and grandpa were busy so she didn’t mind. Jasmin had told her she could get play time if she got all the laundry in before she came back from the store so she was now determined to do a good job!

But as Jasmin’s blanket drifted on the wind and into the woods her hopes of dolls, dyed wax, chalk, and her rust monster toy crumbled.

                “No wait!” the little girl cried as she tossed the clothes and sheets into the basket. “You’ll get dirty again! Come back!”

Chasing the blanket was pretty easy- she wasn’t scared of mud or thorns. Mud went away with a wave of her hand and thorns couldn’t keep her clothes torn so long as she had mending in mind- the problem came when it landed in a tree far too tall for her. Thinking carefully –there were adventures with Penny burps on the line here! - The future wizard attempted to climb up the tree.

The sharp but short yelp of a scream didn’t reach the house nor the woman in gold and purple as she arrived and saw the laundry sitting in a basket over turned by the wind.

When the patina haired girl woke she was sore. She cried a little when she saw the stars overhead. She wasn’t getting play time _or_ dinner. She would be lucky if she slept in her bed tonight.

 _Maybe I can keep my bed if I get the blanket…_ she thought as her eyes drifted to the tree she had fallen out of. She gasped with horror as the blanket was held in the arms of her adopted mother.

                “Young lady…” she spoke so calm crystal was frozen with shock. “Your aunt is waiting for you.”

Crystal didn’t know how long she was frozen but when the blanket was replaced by a body she took in a breath and willed herself to not gulp down air. Her body hurt and wouldn’t move- wouldn’t listen wouldn’t warm up wouldn’t get up out of the grass Jessica was waiting Jessica was _waiting_ \- and she could feel gravity taking over now. _Shit_ she thought as her form leaned forward off of the table she had perched herself on _like an idiot_.

As she fell the little girl screamed for a second before clapping her hands over her mouth. She learned the first time that they will crawl in though there *first*. Brown orbs were screwed shut as tears flowed freely, the multitude of squirming, skittering, withering bugs carrying her down deeper into the pit. She flinched as one licked at the salt trailing down her cheek. Others joined it but they weren’t as *kind*.

The “worms”, as grand farther called them, took the child as they always do. The monk leaned on the wall, waiting for her charge to resurface. The child was so disobedient and resistant- why couldn’t she accept the family’s gift already? Jessica sighed and watched a few of the wigglers –her word for the babies- try and climb the wall of the pit. It was endearing to watch. They were too small to get a proper grip but that didn’t stop them. They were so persistent and hardworking just like the little Oxite girl.

                “Your farther was a fool to sell you to Jasmine.” The pink cladded woman muttered into the pit. “You won’t last long because of him. You aren’t strong enough to survive here.”

Then several Worms collapsed. There was a sizable dent in the pit. Surprise over took the monk as she ran to the edge and looked around, calling for the child she had thrown in. as if on cue a muffled scream reached the human’s ears and she released a sigh of relief- if she was screaming she was alive. And if she was alive then she was surviving. The question came as to what happened when the monk saw a tanned hand grasp out and claw it’s way out of the unmoving insects. Crystal was crying-wailing even.

Wadding though her family’s pets Jessica scooped the child up and held her close. Crystal clung to her, begging the bugs to leave her alone. Curious, the elder reached out and smoothed the girl’s hair, her wailing slowing to steady breathing. When Crystal’s eyes opened not even Jessica-who has had her dear Chestnut implanted into her skin- was prepared for the sight. The girl’s brown eyes were squirming with worms as they glowed with magic. Whatever she did to the insects they knew it was cast by her eyes.

When the spell touched her she screwed her eyes shut –not in the pit- and clapped her hands over her mouth -*not in the pit*-. She shuddered and wanted out; out of this dream state, out of this panicked state, out of this *life!*

                _”Just accept the bugs”_  she heard *her* say. _”you’re safe here.”_  She remembered a voice.

She didn’t remember being placed on her bed. The familiar voice –Capri- and the heavy weight on her back - _Capri_ \- grounded her. Becoming vaguely aware of Adolamin she wanted to say something but _the bugs will crawl there first_. It was about twenty minutes of listening to the tinkerer explain what he knew _and her unable to tell him it was all an accident._  It was honestly getting out of hand this… this fear. Jasmin couldn’t get her here, Kristia didn’t know any better, _I just wanted to get the blanket out of the tree_ , she wasn’t THERE anymore she was HERE! Here damn it!

                “I’m going to lean off of you now.” No don’t do that! “I’m getting off the bed now.” CAPRI! NO!

She watched the teifling walk out of her room. The enchantress wanted him *back* he was grounding her- _she was still in the pit that had to explain why she was so scared_ \- and now she was thinking about *it* and it was getting cold-

                “Its okay.” An arm draped around her shoulders and grounded her. “You can fight this.” There was a pause as his thumb rubbed circled into her shoulder. “You can do this, you got a Swordhand.”

The wizards sat in a strange silence. Adolamin knew normally there was incoherent rambling accompanied by the frozen-barely-breathing-curling-up-into-a-ball motions. He knew she couldn’t move and would have normally voiced this. Whatever that blanket –or maybe the dominate spell- did to her the Levticus was clearly not having a good time. Outside in the hall the tinkerer was returning and the arm left her, navigating its way to a less out stretched position to rest beside her. Capri announced his presence and Crystal nodded at him. Seeing her reacting again he crawled back onto the bed and leaned on the girl again. The teifling smiled when he felt her relax but his relief was short lived as he informed the present Shenanigans Singularity founding member of his concerns.

                “Kill me. Kill me now.” Adolamin breathed as he tried to figure out what the asmiar was up to. This response concerned Capri enough to shift his weight from Crystal to him. It was not welcomed.

When Adolamin left Capri continued to speak with Crystal. She had slowly brought herself back from where ever her mind had wandered off to but she still hasn’t spoken yet.

Jessica had rushed Crystal upstairs, shouting for her sister. When the wizard arrived and saw the blind girl she grew wide eyed. Snatching the child from the younger Jasmin teleported up into her grandfather’s chambers.

                “Grandfather there’s something wrong!” she rushed forward and presented the girl to the old man. “They’ve never done this before why are they doing this?” Tears formed in the woman’s eyes.

Grandfarther levticus rocked slowly in his chair for a moment, lanky arms reaching out for the child. Without hesitating his granddaughter handed the ward over.

                “Ah, you are very powerful indeed, Oxite.” He cradled the girl and smoothed his hand over her face, causing her to flinch. “The energies that would grant you a familiar have given you something else.”

When Jasmin questioned him the old man shushed her as he rocked in his chair. The calming motion lulled the girl to sleep for a moment. He said something about needing a bucket and the sound of rapid footsteps was the last she heard.

The waking world was a sudden rush of pain and the feeling of drowning. There was shouting and she was no longer in the arms of the strange old man who lived upstairs in Aunt Jessica and Jasmin’s home. Jasmin was holding her- the wizard was always rough- and Jessica was yelling.

                “You’re water boarding her! Let me do it!” someone gripped her arm and the whiplash made her sick.

                “Grandfather told ME to do it and I will do it how I see fit, JESSICA!” the little girl was yanked again and her stomach churned.

The next thing she knew the squirming she felt in her eyes and head rushed to her throat and she gagged once before the worms vacated. They wiggled their own way out as she cried. She could hear soothing words from her aunt but the woman holding her above a bucket silenced her. The worms fell from her mouth like ribbons and lace- she would never touch either of these again- and she felt light headed.

Capri had moved to hold her up as Crystal dry heaved. He was saying something but she couldn’t answer him *they had to come out*. Pointing at her trash bin was enough of a coherent command and the boy leaped away to quickly grab it and hand it to her. The dry heaving lasted a few minutes but nothing came up. Trembling she slammed the bin down.

                “I fucking hate my brain.” She rubbed her face, brushing copper locks out of her eyes.

                “Want to go shopping and get your mind off of it?” She knew he didn’t approve of the copping mechanism but she appreciated how he knew she wasn’t having a *normal* episode and skipped the list of alternatives.

She’ll explain why shopping helps one day. Not today. Maybe she’ll explain it when Adolamin isn’t embarrassed to show affection in front of others. Yeah, that’ll be the day.

Till then the tinkerer needed a suit. And tie. And a matching outfit for Lysander. Perhaps the monastery has directions to the nearest market.


	3. presently the past is a future problem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a look at Crystal's child hood with her adopted family. It seems there are a few mysteries to solve and a frightening amount of scenarios my players were a tad bit horrified to find out.   
> This chapter also connects another (no ones favorite) NPC, Canter, to Crystal.

“Medicine, medicine, medicine…”

The small girl stared up at the large imposing wall of jars- clear to showcase their dark green and grey contents- and brightly labeled boxes. Reaching out for one she grasped it gently and looked it over. It was a dry herb for potions that would burn for a while but ultimately would heal sore limbs.

It was placed slowly and delicately into the basket on the floor beside her.0

                “This too.” a low whisper caught her ear and when she whipped around the person was gone.

Looking into her basket there was a small jar of dried fruit- palor’s tongue. Wide brown eyes sat on the floor and clutched the jar, studying the dirty orange fruit that clinked against the glass. Shes read books about the fruit of the sun: legends say they warm the body and are sweet like candy. Looking around it was just the little patina haired girl and her basket- and now that she thought about it she didn’t see dried Palor’s tongue on the shelf. How much was it? Was it even something the store sold?

Standing Crystal did a once over on the wall of jars and mentally counted the silver in her pocket but it was no use, the wall was jars of dark green and grey, not a dirty orange color in sight. A bit perplexed and a little wary she grasp her basket and went to the store front.

                “Hello little one. Did you find what you needed?” the gentle voice of the loxo brought the human’s eyes up. She didn’t speak, just nodded and held her basket up. An elephant like trunk reached down and grasped the handle, hoisting it up. “Ah! I see your brother found you. I’m glad.”

                “Brother?” Crystal blinked up with confusion. She didn’t have a brother, she was the only kid mommy and daddy had and she was the only kid at the Levditcus house.

                “Yes, the blue haired boy.” The loxo held out the jar. “He bought this and said it was for his sister.” A second trunk came down to hand over the two parcels. “He said you two were playing hide and seek while getting your chores done. Looks like you’ve been found, little one.”

Crystal was baffled but just nodded. Daddy said strangers can be kind but they are few and far between, so she would not look a gift in the mouth. Paying for the herbs she left the shop with her bag, ducking back in to act as though her “brother” was out there. When she tip toed out the Loxo woman laughed happily. She was a good actor she supposed.

Arriving home she greeted Jasmin and Jessica as they sat in the den with tea and cookies. Jasmin asked how much silver the little wizard had left and it evolved into a pleasant math lesson. She liked math. Jessica gave her a cookie and showed her how to dip in the tea to make it softer and easier to chew. It was nice.

And then her stomach squirmed.

She excused herself, saying she was going to study now. The elders didn’t question it and allowed the girl to return to her duties. Once in her room she opened the dusty cleric manual grandpa gave her when she admitted to him she felt ill. The old man was strange but helpful- he gave her a potion that fixed her up and smiled, granting her the book.

                “You can learn a lot from books that aren’t about spells.” He explained. “See if you can recreate that potion I gave you.” He gave her a pat on the head and shooed her out as it was dinner time and he would join her shortly.

Crystal wasn’t sure if he knew she was trying to get the bugs to leave her alone or not, but he is a strange man so that means he was a stranger. Right? She’ll ask daddy when he returns.

Flipping through the tome brown eyes landed on the herbs she had purchased- eating them dry would only burn and it would take hours for the affects to kick in. Boiling them in a tea would make the affects instant but the burn would be more intense without a catalyst. It was here she noticed a number written in the margarine of the book. She panicked- what if Jessica or Jasmin saw this and blamed it on her? Would they be furious she wrote something in their grandfather’s book? Grandpa didn’t seem to be the type to be upset over something like this, and *he* was the one who gave her the book so… maybe they already knew?

                _“Ah! I see your brother found you. I’m glad.”_

She was positive there wasn’t a “blue haired boy” in that store. The nice loxo lady must have seen a ghost.  _The ghost of the boy who wrote in this book!_  small hands slowly lifted from the pages, trembling as they grasped together. This was the book of a dead person! If grandpa had the book… did he kill the boy?

Tears formed and she felt magic surge to her eyes. Blinking hard she scampered to her bed and grasped the rust monster plush sitting among her pillows. She touched a dead boy’s book. Why did the loxo see his ghost? This didn’t make sense! Ghosts… were real but only the evil ones stayed and haunted people. Was he haunting her? The levtidcus family? _Oh god was this his ROOM?_

Her stomach squirmed again as if the worm she knew was in there was reacting to her distress.

                “No! You’re bad! I’m not listening!” she mumbled into Penny burp’s back.

                _”keep reading.”_  A voice in her head caused her to jump. She knew better than to scream. _"go to that page number. GO!”_

Scrambling off her bed and back to her desk she flipped the book to the page. What came up was a chapter of dried herbs and fruits- and the opening section was Palor’s tongue. Deciding the voice was most certainly *not* the worm and “The blue haired boy” was most certainly haunting her for being in his room crystal resigned to reading and rereading as much as she could.

If she broke up the dried fruit and mashed it with the herb it would take the burn away and accelerate the healing. If she stirred the tea with a piece of the dried fruit the burn would go away and the tea would keep her warm as if with the endure elements spell. Opening a note book she scribbled notes and theories. Hours went by as the young Oxite became engrossed in her studies. The monk had come up to gather the child for dinner but seeing her working tirelessly Jessica decided to set her plate aside for now- she can eat dinner when shes done.

Back down stairs when Jessica returned empty handed her sister glared. “And where is my daughter?”

                “She is studying.” Silently pulling her chair out, the pink cladded woman gathered food onto a small plate. “I will bring Crystal her dinner when I check on her again.”

                “That will not be necessary.” Jasmin waved a hand and the plate the younger was making floated up and into the trash.

Frowning, Jessica turned to her elder sister. “You are far too hard on that child.” she reached for another plate. “I will not let her starve because you want her to behave so roboticly.”

                “You will do as I wish or you will give up your dinner.” Jasmin didn’t even look up from her own plate as she cut into the meat. “She is my child and she will endure and be stronger than that idiot of a man who sold her to Me.” she bit down roughly on her fork.

The monk leveled a unimpressed glare at her sister before standing, second plate created and guarded, and marching upstairs. Jasmin was not joined by her grandfather and her sister did not return. The wizard growled and snatched her plate up.

                “Fine then. If no one wants to be civil tonight then I’ll eat in the den LIKE A CHILD!”

There was no answer so she took her plate and sat in her chair.

Meanwhile upstairs Jessica knocked a few times on crystal’s door. When the girl answered and saw the plate her eyes grew wide and there was a sense of fear.

                “Dinner ended… abruptly.” She gave as kind a smile she could muster as she presented the plate. “Jasmine wanted to make sure you ate.” She lied.

Crystal knew there was a lie somewhere. Thanking aunt Jessica she took the plate- potatoes, steak, and bread tonight- she apologized for missing dinner and made to move down stairs but the monk blocked her.

                “Get back to your studies. I will come for the plate in an hour.”

The door was shut with a slight slam. Returning to her desk, Crystal took the potatoes and mashed them up with the herb and dried fruit. The mush looked gross and reminded her of the time she had stepped on one of the worms.

                “If my notes are right…” she looked at them once more before nodding. “This will get you out of my tummy mr.worm.” shoving the paste down her throat Crystal pretended her stomach didn’t squirm and she didn’t hear a happy insect chirp.

When Jessica came for the plate she didn’t notice the worm wiggle it’s way out of the “sleeping” wizard’s room.

That became the go to fix- Mando herb and Palor’s tongue. She couldn’t stock pile the ingredients in her room and Jasmin figured out she was hiding cookies, biscuits, and dry foods in Penny burps –rest in peace my friend- so Crystal bought exactly as much as she needed. But she never had to buy the Palor’s tongue.

                “Is this part of the game, little one?” The loxo asked one day after the 4th or 5th time she had a young human come in and buy the dried fruit only to wander and place it unknowingly into the girl’s basket.

                “uh-huh.” She chirped up as she watched the crowd around her. It was the first time she had gone to get ingredients during a sale. _maybe I can find the ghost._

As she left with her bag she bumped into something. Her first instinct was to apologize and flinch away.

                “I’m sorry!” she spurted. “I should pay more attention.” She heard another voice echo.

Snapping her eyes open she caught sight of a cat running away and around the corner. Did the cat talk?

Her note book at home was full of notes on the enchantment school of magic, the different uses of dried magical fruits, and now The Ghost. Maybe the ghost became the cat and that’s why she never saw him. Ghosts don’t normally change shape like that so maybe the ghost was a druid in life- it would explain why the ghost knew so much about plants. She began taking notes on ghosts from the various books in Jasmin’s study.

                “If you are going to study enchantments you will have to pick two things you will not study.” The purple cladded wizard spoke sternly from across the room. “It will help you stay focused and be better than other wizards.”

                “Is there a school of magic about ghosts?” she asked from behind her pile of books.

                “Necromancy.” Jasmin glanced up. “It’s a very evil school young lady.” Jasmin’s eyes burned into crystal.

Gulping down her fear she decided ghosts can be studied but maybe she wouldn’t make it a focus…

It would be years later- thousands of silver and eventually gold pieces later- when she found herself staring at a little boy with blue hair, a cat clutched in his arms.

                “This is your brother Canter, Crystal.” Jasmin stated with a smile the enchantress knew was sweet with ethylene glycol.

                “Hello Canter.” Crystal suppressed her shock when the boy spoke and it sounded like a voice she had heard before.

                “Whatever…” he mumbled into his cat’s fur and Jasmin coaxed him inside with the promise of cookies after dinner.

She was sure she was going crazy. She hadn’t been to the market in a long time- maybe four years?- and had no need to buy things from the loxo after Jasmin had stopped prying into her room. Could the ghost have been reincarnated? That wouldn’t make sense- he would return as a baby not a 13 year old far too short and squeaky to be considered a teenager. This wasn’t the ghost… but she didn’t know too many families with blue hair…

Research provided a possible theory- the de Mio-Cid family was known for their blue hair genes and had a suspicious death in the family 13 years ago… and Canter’s parents were supposed to be dead.

But why would a De Mio-Cid haunt her? Were they friends of her mother’s? Was it actually her mother they haunted and she was collateral? Whatever it was she hopped the ghost would watch over Canter. She wasn’t going to be around much longer…

                “Where are you going?” Crystal froze at the sound of Jasmin’s voice. Slowly lifting her head up the wizard was found looking down at her, floating on an invisible disc. “Well young lady?”

Crystal didn’t answer. She darted forward and ran. The heroism spell she cast on herself steeled her nerves and she ran. As she was about to make it out beyond the arcane shield a pain shot though her leg and it became numb. She didn’t scream- too many years of knowing better- but her eyes flashed and a burst of golden light shot out at nothing. When she fell she rolled and saw a harpoon on a chain sticking though her leg. It didn’t register as *her* leg until it tugged and pain shot to her brain. She yelled for help but no one beyond the dome heard her. She was reeled in like a fish on a rod. The pain became too much and she blacked out. When she woke she found herself held up in front of Jasmine.

                “Now Canter this is what will happen to you if you don’t obey.” Crystal’s eyes grew wide as they shot down to Jasmin’s side. Canter stared back at her with just as much fear as she felt.

                “Don’t fucking listen to them Canter! Run as soon as you can!” She bit out; tears in her eyes as it registered her legs were broken. “This is what happens when they *catch* you! You’ll be okay! Just-“

She was cut off as Jessica hurled her into the pile of insects. They didn’t carry her down the same way they always did- they piled on her, pushing her down, pushing with weight that didn’t make sense. She could hear the little boy scream and jasmine telling him to watch. She struggled to swim up and try and tell him about the cleric book but the worms pressed harder. When her foot hit something she screamed out and they swarmed into her. She was sure she drowned and was dead but something grasped her arm- it was pincer like but didn’t puncture or wound, just held her up. Seeing as she was still conscious she reached into her bag and pulled out a pill of her own creation. Breaking it a golden light erupted from her fist and the swarm within her vacated before they could burrow or cling. The insects gave her enough space that she could cast a spell-teleportation circle.

She didn’t have the spell power for it but something in the room was channeling the spell though her. When the spell was cast she remembered the pincer. Looking up a large if not huge centipede like worm chirped at her. It bore arcane runes and skittered away as the spell took the girl.

She found herself in south home. And now she had a goal- get Canter out.

At least, that was the plan. When she returned to Evertide her heart hurt and she couldn’t breathe. Her legs felt frozen and _they were crawling on her_.

She heard a voice but didn’t respond. They said they were going to take her hand and something grasped it. She walked with… whoever it was… and eventually found herself at the general store. She became calm and breathed again. Looking over she found a much older Canter watching her. But… yes he would be 18 but this man looked 26. He gave her a smile and asked if she knew where the mando herb was. Nodding she walked in and was greeted by the now elderly loxo woman.

                “Hello you two! My you haven't aged a day young man.” She used one of her trunks to adjust her glasses.

                “Would you believe time travel?” he laughed.

He had gloves and a strange cloak. She knew they were magical and yet couldn’t explain why. Mussel memory guided her to the wall of herbs and she grabbed them. Bringing them up to the counter the jar of dried fruit was joined by Nectar, belladonna, and crushed spider fangs.

                “I’ll pay for it this time, sib.” The older “Canter” produced the gold and hesitantly reached out to her, patting her head. “See you at home.” Gloved hands grasped hers and placed the bag tightly in her grasp.

Crystal watched him jog off and around the corner. Determined to snap herself out of this dream or… alternate time line? She chased the young man down.

                “HEY!” she shouted and it startled him enough that he looked back. “Who the HELL are _YOU_?”

When she caught up to him he smiled and threw his hands up. “Just a ghost.” He said and vanished.

Later that night she found out *her* Canter had run away from home. Three years later the levidtcus had a new ward named Theodosia. Crystal would never know what happened and left it all up to ghosts and spirits; she would never know Canter was found and punished just like her or that the “ghost” she saw was her adopted brother come back to save her from a fate only time now knows of.


	4. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After another NPC falls ill and is extremely close to death the guild goes into a state of melancholy and stress. Heres Crystal's nightmare she had during this time.
> 
> (i just realized my player who is Adolamin really likes interacting with the NPCs i wright fanfics about)

Sleeping was hard. Crystal took comfort in the fact that she wasn’t the only one struggling- in truth she thinks only ones not struggling are the druids and Capri. Kenway showed a hint of empathy to everyone but he went right back to what ever he does in the green house. Capri only cares cause _shes_  having a hard time. _Why do you care about him anyway?_

Her eyes snapped open and she saw her room in the tower. It was late, the candles long blown out. Her eyes adjusted and she stared out at nothing in particular, just the room. The dark, empty room…

She knows she heard her own voice ask that question. Glaring, the wizard rolled over and tucked her head under the blankets. _Capri isn’t the one whos in a coma_.

She snapped her eyes open again and groaned: this isn’t going to end well. She didn’t remember closing them. _You say you care and it hurts when the people you care about are hurt but we both know you shouldn’t even be here_. And she was positive she didn’t own a mirror…

                “Okay we’re doing this.” She kicked the covers off and marched around her dream. “Fearaw is in a coma. I can’t **do**  anything about that so whats wrong with-“

                “whats wrong with what?” ah, the reflection. This should be good. “With prioritizing the little love struck fiend over a **god**? Plenty!”

Crystal didn’t want to flinch when she looked at the mirror, but she did. Copper hair, brown eyes, purple night robes, bed head and crusted salt streaks at the corners of said eyes. The enchantress didn’t look her reflection in the eye and was glad this dream wanted to play the “you’re not who you think you are” card cause her reflection just crossed it’s arms and looked her up and down rather than try and make eye contact. Standing before it she spotted the _differences_ : sunken eyes that emphasized the bags under her eyes, the sleeves were frayed as if picked apart by _bugs_.

                “I’m not prioritizing anyone over-“

                “that’s right, you just _leave_  when they need you.” The reflection leaned it’s head against the glass of the mirror. “You just leave people in the dark, just wander into their lives and when your stay hurts them you _run away_ …”

                “Well what **else**  am I going to do?” Crystal’s steps were shaky as she marched forward to her reflection. “Stand around and watch as they suffer **more**?” her fists shook at her sides with both anxiety and anger.

                “Wouldn’t be the first time, now would it?” The reflection smirked and mimicked the wizard’s raised fist and snarl. “What’s going to happen when you break *him* of his habits and it gets him _killed_?”

The fist never collided with the glass. Crystal blinked tears away and clawed at her eyes. That’s right, she knew where this was coming from: if Adolamin didn’t care about Muzuzuzu he wouldn’t have tried to save him, he wouldn’t have *nearly* died, and- this didn’t have anything to do with Fearaw.

                “Shut up!” Crystal ordered the other copper headed woman. “This isn’t about him.”

                “Which _him_ , Crystal?” the voice had changed. Startled the wizard drew her hands away from her still watering eyes to see _her_  in the mirror.

Jasmine Levticus stood before her, a small boy with blue hair standing at her side. “You ran away as soon as you saw it would be safe for *you* but what about _him_ , Crystal?” the taller woman’s hand carded its way through the boy’s hair, his eyes full of the fear and the confusion she remembered they held when she last saw him. “You ran away and left him behind. Left him alone with _us_.” Crystal took a step back from the purple and gold cladded woman. “Are you _sure_  you care about these people? Or are you just biding your time?”

It was as if a spider web manifested on the glass, hundreds of tiny reflections formed around the frozen dagger embedded into Jasmine’s face. Crystal’s hand hung in the air and trembled, the cold chill of her magic creating steam from her palm.

                “So violent…” Crystal clapped her hands over her ears as she gasped, air getting harder to consume. “And you think _Jessica_  is ruthless…”

                “I’m NOT **HER!** ” the ice of her dagger trembled and shunted itself though the mirror. The dream grew quiet as shards of the mirror slowly fell to the floor.

And then like an avalanche the shards fell, the sound like rain that echoed loudly, the copper haired girl flinching ad shielding her eyes on instinct. When the sound stopped she breathed *don’t look at the mirror* and lowered her arms to _don’t do it Crystal…_  look at the mirror- or well, the remains of it.

What she saw was nothing. Darkness, a never-ending void, greeted Crystal. Her heart clenched at the indications of this: there’s nothing behind the mirror because she *is* nothing, the darkness of her heart is only skin deep, ect. And then it *moved*. Crystal held her breath and her fingers twitched with magic that wasn’t coming. The still darkness rippled and wiggled and *skittered* out of the mirror.

She backed up repeating “no” softly as the bugs *she let in* poured into the room, swarming and chittering and crawling on everything. The “no”s became rapid fire as she backed up and onto her bed *she’s safe here she’s at the tower they shouldn’t be here*, her heart was in her throat and she bit down cries as it was soon just a sea of black shinny squirming *worms* and her on her bed.

                *”why do you have so many brothers, Crystal?”* the swarm spoke in a soft voice she couldn’t place. *”you had one but you couldn’t stay to protect him…”* it was so sad and small and when she felt the *hurt* in it’s tone she sobbed.

The swarm piled and shivered onto itself and Crystal was frozen. Her heart hurt and her lungs burned- she wasn’t breathing and she wanted to wake up but she couldn’t wake up, she was asleep, and she was *stuck* she couldn’t move *they’re everywhere* and now they made a shape that was vaguely human- a body, two arms that it used to slowly and almost painfully push itself onto the bed, a head that opened it’s mouth to speak but only let bugs fall to the sheets. She was cornered by this amalgamation of void *worms* as it stared at her- *its sizing you up* it moved with hesitance towards her and it attempted to speak again but all it did was spew more bugs onto the safety of her bed.

_You shouldn’t be here, you should have been **there**  for him you should have stayed everyone you care about just gets _ **_hurt_.**

Crystal wanted to scream but *she knew better*, they would crawl *everywhere* if she made a sound but she needed to wake up, she needed to * _breath_ * she couldn’t _**breath**_  why was breathing so _hard_? Shivering, her brown eyes locked onto the now squirming mass of void that inched closer to her until it lifted a hand and reached for her face. It said her name and she _broke_. It sounded like Fearaw and Adolamin and like it was _dying_.

_Who are you prioritizing Crystal? Your so called brother or the bard you didn’t care enough about until it was too late?_

Hiccuping she shook her head. “no” she allowed herself as the hand of centipedes and beetles and _worms_  came closer. “no” _I'm not choosing between them_  she whispered as the hand hovered near her cheek. Then it cupped her face.

The bugs swarmed her and she didn’t scream, she didn’t make a sound, _they would get everywhere_. She was engulfed by the bugs, by the void, swallowed whole and slowly until she couldn’t see, just feel the tiny legs crawling over every inch of skin and the _worms_  wiggling and trying to _burrow_.

She didn’t know how long she was drowning in the void but something pressed against her back so she kicked out and shivered, her blanket falling away. The room was dark and she felt sick. Grabbing her pillow her breathing was erratic and she felt exposed- _hide_. Scrambling under her bed she pressed her back to the stone of the wall, facing the hanging bits of sheet from her bed. She felt like a child, hiding under her bed from the monster in her closet, _the one under the bed was better then the one with long limbs and shifting skin_. Tears fell and breathing was hard, she felt _Trapped_  and hated it. Hugging her pillow she decided trapped meant concealed which was better than vulnerable. Eventually her body gave out to her mind and she couldn’t tell dream from reality. The swarm was covering her again but it wasn’t real. Jasmine was talking and that was real. _Jasmine can’t get you, you’re safe_  and that was true. When she drifted to sleep she was light headed and figured she was probably dehydrated.

When she felt something press against her back and wrap it’s arms around her she kicked out.

                “Its okay, its me.” Adolamin was right there and that wasn’t real. The room was dark and she was cold and that wasn’t real either.

_If Adolamins there its safe, you’re safe_. she didn’t want to trust it but she did. She drifted back to sleep and was in her bed again but it wasn’t. it was bigger and the sheets were warm, fresh from bathing in the sun. The bed was warm too and her eyes were closed, peace of mind resting, floated just within reach and she grasped it, tucking it under her pillow and sighing.

The dream ended when she realized she was being held. Squinting hurt- the room was bright with sun light and she wanted to groan at it. This time the bed was real and was her bed. it took her a moment to realize she was awake and the person walking away was Adolamin.


	5. a three hour bath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this was kinda a request from a player and kinda a scene i just wanted to hash out.  
> i have a mechanic in my world called essence of sin- its the 7 deadly sins in material form and the short of it is the players have been working with NPCs to try and make instant cures for it, and one time it didn't go so well for Crystal.

Traveling to Cracked Scale was a familiar experience for Boccobe’s avatar; which was why he summoned his space bike to fly over the odd jungle marsh instead of walking through it. Star dust and small novas cascaded across the surface as the pair flew over the palm trees and willows. Adolamin glanced back at his passenger: Crystal was quiet, her head resting on his back with a defeated weight. It wasn’t natural.

                “Copper for your thoughts?” he rolled his shoulder to get the enchantress’s attention which rewarded him with a scowl as she sat up.

                “Was that a joke or were you just not thinking?” her words held an artificial venom as the essence of wraith surfaced. “If you must know I simply don’t want to go to the bath house.”

                “You know you can just soak in the tower. Could make a pool or you can take a dip in the moat.”

                “Oh how useful all those options would have been forty miles and three spell slots ago.” She plopped her head back onto his back and the sort of a hug she was giving him to hold on tightened a bit painfully.

Realizing the copper haired girl was either actually upset or the wraith was acting faster than normal the brunet revved the bike faster as it shot though the darkening sky. The gentle glow of fire flies and lanterns signaled they arrived in the bustling lizardman city- the smell of steamed meats and spices mingled into air with dried fish and fresh broth. Landing his star the taller wizard helped Crystal off of the bike before it vanished. Gesturing to the small noodle stand a ways away he offered a distraction from the inevitable. For a moment her eyes were tinted red but she blinked hard and strode over to the food stand.

                “Aw hell and heaven Adolamin what have you been feeding this one? Nothing by the looks of it!” the lizardfolk cook tsked the two wizards before plopping a big bowl of noodles, pork, scallions, and an egg that was poached as the steam rose from the beef broth. “You eat that right up little lady. Adolamin! You should have brought this po’ thang here sooner!”

                “Havn’t had the time, Bayou.” Pulling a coin out of his pocket he flipped it to the woman in time with his own bowl being slid in front of him.

It was a slow night- the dinner rush hasn’t arrived yet and by the lack of talking and footsteps out on the streets it wasn’t coming for a while. The silence extended to the wizards at the stand. It was slightly awkward as the only sound would be Adolamin’s slurping or the crocodile like lizardfolk’s comments about Crystal not eating enough and her worry that she’s as bad as the students at sky grasp. Bayou eventually busied herself with washing Adolamin’s bowl while said wizard watched with slight concern at the fact Crystal’s bowl was barely touched and she clearly looked like she wasn’t going to continue eating. He wanted to ask her what was up but the flash of red and how she sneered at the noodles told him he wasn’t going to get a rational answer. Instead, he spoke up to Bayou.

                “Know anything about the local bath house?”  
                “We just call it the hot springs. Its just a ways away from the church down the street.” A curious yellow eye glanced at the scowling girl. “She nervous about a hot spring? Only reason I can think of for not eating my noodles.”

On cue Crystal *growled* and shoved a big piece of pork and some noodles in her mouth. This got a chuckle out of the elder and she turned around to properly face the would be carnivore.

                “The hot springs ain’t nothing to be nervous about. They got a roof to keep the steam in and ain’t no body looking at you, they too busy trying to drown each other.” She sounded like a mother waiting for their child to come home and get grounded toward the end there. “Besides a pretty young thang like you ain’t got no business having self-esteem issues.”

Crystal coughed a few times as Bayou laughed full heartily. Crystal’s fellow enchanter gave her a few good pats on the back before she gave a thumbs up to signal she was fine. She raised a scowl at the crocodile woman who seemed unimpressed but a bit more serious when she looked the human in the eye.

                “I don’t have self-esteem issues.” She jerked her head over to her right with a frown. “I got this one and a teifling back at the guild head over heels for me.”

Adolamin didn’t get a comeback as Bayou laughed loudly again and dropped some extra slices of pork into Crystal’s bowl. “Well whatever reason it’s a huge hot springs. Not really a private place but there’s some secluded spots if that’s any help.”

Bayou went back to her fire pit and large pot of noodles, prepping for the dinner rush. Crystal both acknowledged and ignored the smirking scowl that was shot her way: Adolamin didn’t make a sound seeing as she was actually eating and not just string the noodles around with her chop sticks. She may have gotten away with that comment but when her bowl was empty and the Avatar had asked for directions again Adolamin started plotting. The young Levidicus scowled at the sky as her eyes turned red and a snarl left her lips when they arrived at the huge water park like space with palm branches and huge rocks and tree roots keeping the spring water from mingling with the swamp.

                “Its not that bad.” Adolamin stated while Crystal fidgeted, eyes darting around at the lizard folk, humans, and other various races enjoying a late night soak.

Instead of a snarky come back or a shout Crystal just darted for the changing rooms.

                “Ex, watch my stuff.” The young swordhand strode over to the changing rooms on the other side so Crystal wouldn’t be suspicious. Said fiend suggested adolamin wear his swim trunks in case her problem was naked people- he knew the plan and honesty flashing the already high strung “can cause you to be paralyzed with a look” wizard didn’t seem like the brightest idea.

It took wandering for five minutes and dodging eight foot waves from canon ball splashes but she eventually found a secluded enough spot to soak. Crystal was hesitant about the _water_. Something told her it wasn’t going to end well, that something _stupid_  was going to happen and its going to be _her fault_  because **she can’t do anything right lately**  so she took a cue from the crocs and dived in before she could psyc herself out of it. These springs were different from Elysuim- Lizardfolk don’t have anything to show so logically they wouldn’t have anything to hide: this resulted in the lack of towels…

_But you wouldn’t be having this problem if you took the time and got a bathing suit. Not like you’ve have god damn YEARS to take care of this but nooo-_

Lack of towels or not the water was near opaque with heat and minerals so this was fine. She scowled at the water as the warmth relaxed her and perhaps literally melted away her anger. Honestly it was stupid how all it took was a bath to get the essence of sin out of your system. _Did that mean the essence wasn’t water proof? Could you make a tea out of it? Pollute a river or drug a town by throwing the stuff into the water? Maybe… if it was fused with an aquatic pla-_

                “Whats ya thinking about, Crystal?” Adolamin had noticed the girl ignore his arrival so he made himself known. The scream was expected. The ducking under the water and refusing to resurface for 15 minutes wasn’t.

                “Crystal you’re going to drown.” The wizard had half a mind to dive in and wretch her up but not being paralyzed _and_  under water would be nice. “Stop being ridiculous and- wait is your paralyzing gaze a super natural ability or spell like?”

                A few bubbles came up out of the water but paused as if the girl had realized the boy couldn’t hear her and, after a beat, brown eyes tainted red scowled up at Adolamin from across the water. “Spell like. What, is your _oh so wonderful_  avatar powers going to stop my dumb eye balls?”

Rather than answering he just entered the water. This action startled the copper haired girl back under the water but knowing he was safe from the medusa like gaze he grabbed the back of her neck and drew her back up out of the water with a string of swears and a full blown red eyed gaze.

                “Ever think people aren’t **fucking**  cats, Adolamin?” the rage was startling enough to make him drop her which was then followed by a near roar as she swiped at him. “I’m not some stray you can just **grab**  by the SCRUFF!”

The enchantress took a minute to calm down and once she did she was once again up to her nose in the water. Least she wasn’t scowling at him anymore. A little while later Crystal relaxed enough to enjoy the hot springs- leaned back against the pool wall and maybe a bit sleepy looking. Adolamin didn’t get a chance to relax that often and honestly an excuse to let his worries and the tension in his shoulder melt away twice in the same week was taken as soon as he didn’t have to be on guard to avoid the copper headed girl’s wrath. An hour into the soak and the brunet noticed an inquisitive look from across the small portion of the large springs. It took a moment to realize she was messaging someone but once the spell was done Crystal tilted her head- when she realized she was staring her eyes tinted red and she rolled them before locking onto Adolamin’s green with her brown.

                “Whats your opinion on scars?” she dipped her head down until her chin rested on the water.

                Adolamin raised a brown and shrugged, lifting his arms out of the water and reclining as best as he could in the pool. “They happen. I have a few from practicing spells…” he trailed off to glance down at the large clean cut scar that reached from his right shoulder down to just above his left hip.

Crystal remained silent for a moment before lowering herself down to her nose again.

                “Is… _that_  why you are uncomfortable with public baths?” hesitantly he moved closer to his fellow wizard. “You’re embarrassed by some scar or something?”

                “Or something I suppose…” it was gargled due to still being bellow the waterline. She blinked a few times before her eyes tinted red and she growled.

Before he could say anything she dunked under the water completely again. The swordhand debated it for a moment: he _could_  dive down and “join” her but she doesn’t want him to see something, or he could wretch her back up again. On the one hand he invades her privacy and on the other he gets smacked or splashed with hot springs water. With a shrug he moved until he was next to the bubble column that was the fuming Crystal. At the ten minute point he reached down and gave her a pat on the head- or at least that was the intention. His hand brushed her arm and he felt what he could only image would be a very long centipede. In response to the touch Crystal darted out into the middle of the secluded pool and brought her eyes above the water.

By the looks of it he didn’t _think_  she was going to murder him and nail his soul to his coffin, so he tried again, reaching out and giving her a quick pat on the head. His fellow wizard made a annoyed sound and squinted at him but made no move to bite him so that was a good sign.

Hour two was much calmer and neither of them fell asleep. And if they did they wouldn’t say since the only witness to Adolamin nearly swallowing lung fulls of water after sliding in whilst snoring and Crystal drifting around unconsciously like a buoy before bumping into him was the other so obviously no one would hear or speak a word of it. Not that it happened. What did happen was Crystal announcing how bored she was and that a three hour soak in some water seemed like the _stupidest_  solution to a medical condition she has ever heard of, followed by Adolamin commenting that one of his goals with the experiments was to create a faster “battle field” cure.

                “If that’s the case then wouldn’t it be beneficial to have people infected with the essence be used as test subjects instead of just infusing seeds with sin and eldritch energy?” the cold tone felt a little too close to home.

                “That information would have been very useful 40 miles, three spell slots, and two or so hours ago.” He tried to keep his voice even with as little sass as possible but from the elbow jab he received he thinks he failed.

It was quickly becoming a comfortable trend for the pair to “adopt” the people close to them- Adolamin was becoming everyone’s brother and if you so much as got hurt around Crystal you became her sibling. This thought process washed over the later for a moment before a calculating frown formed.

                “Does Amina know family doesn’t translate to “people who rely on you and you alone”?”

The question startled the brunet enough he didn’t realize he had spat out a short “what?” until Crystal gave him a concerning look. “I’ve noticed she… reminds me of Jessica.” There was weight to that last word and it was enough for the girl to sink up to her chin in the water again. “Jessica does what she is told because she loves the family. Amina does what she is told because she cares about you and the guild.” Her brows knitted together in concentration as her mind pieced things together. “I theorize that, unlike Jessica, Amina views a ‘family’ as a group of people dependent on you.”

                “What in the world makes you think _that_?” Adolamin was both offended and curious. Amina was dependent on *him*, not the other way around. He knows she views the avatar as a brother so Crystal’s theory would mean-

                “How was she before the guild? No, before you became an avatar?” the enchantress had that strange voice Adolamin noticed Alistina had right before she literally slapped him or someone else with logic. It made him scoot to the left and out of arms reach.

                “She was right by my side. Only left it to stab something.” the memories came together in his mind and as they drifted towards the present the image of Amina he had in his mind’s eye slowly moved farther and farther away. Eventually she stopped lifting her shield completely. “… and after wards she…”

It was his turn to glare at the water. He didn’t _care_  that she no longer guarded him but the idea that her doing that and her only thinking family means protecting someone weak agitated him. Family has a bond that strengthens each member of it! He didn’t suddenly leave her found family because he could take care of himself- hell if she wasn’t there for him he would have died **a lot**  more than the times he already had. He wouldn’t have lasted long enough _to_  take care of himself. But the moment he wasn’t squishy anymore…

                “I don’t like how right that theory sounds…” he tilted his head back and stared up at the palm leaves. This area must not be used that often as he could easily see the stars though holes and broken fronds. “…Shes been through enough that I wouldn’t put it past her with all the crap she does.”

                “Sounds like we’re not the only ones with issues.” Crystal stared up at the stars as well.

At the beginning of the final hour there was something in the air- a question or a conversation that was waiting to be voiced. Part of Adolamin wanted her to elaborate on the original topic of Amina _”What brought that on?”_  but another wanted to pry at something. He wasn’t sure what- maybe what she meant by “we” in that last statement since he… he wanted to say he didn’t have any issues but…

                _”You better take him back… anyone close to me just gets hurt.”_  Agathaw’s words when the Specter returned Excalibur echoed in the wizard’s head for a moment. He knew there was a solution but he couldn’t blame the man… Adolamin does the same thing…

With a sigh he sunk down into the still warm water. The motion startled Crystal enough she nearly shot across the pool but when he only sunk up to his nose she relaxed again. When he felt her give his head a pat he had a mix thought of growling at her and appreciating the action. In truth he wanted a distraction- he wanted to relax, not bother with emotions.

                “How did you get that huge scar on your chest? I can’t think of a spell that would leave a clean cut like that…” Crystal’s question hung in the air as the enchanter debated answering.

                “You’re right it wasn’t a spell uhh…” he rose enough out of the water to talk but telling crystal about one of the times he *died* might not have been the best ideas. _well what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her…_  “Got nearly sliced in half by a Minotaur… I’m guessing you got that bug one from the levidicus house?”

                Adolamin’s question didn’t get to hang around as long as Crystal’s. “Yeah… that’s umm…” she didn’t so much glare at the water as she acknowledged it. Maybe she just couldn’t look at him while telling this story? “That’s why I don’t like public bathes… I have a lot of scars and some are harder to hide…”

Nodding as he took that information in, Adolamin glanced away to the large roots and rocks acting as a natural wall about ten or eleven foot high. Crystal didn’t seem uncomfortable anymore- if anything she seemed like she *wanted* to share but couldn’t. Baby steps he supposed.

                “Well you won’t have to be here much longer. And if it’ll help-“ He waved his hand and some magic formed. “-I can just polymorph you into something so you don’t have to sneak around like you probably did before.”

Crystal nodded at the idea and an hour later, after making sure Crystal wasn’t going to murder the first lizardman who even glanced at her (or Adolamin if he said the wrong thing) the wizard hopped out the water and changed Crystal into something he hoped wouldn’t get too much attention.

He was fairly certain he was known for being a wizard if he was known for being anything in cracked scale- the knight’s tournament was certainly a show of that, so the logic of a copper tabby cat with patina green specs being “magic enough” to make people think Crystal was a familiar and not their late night snack seemed sound. He regretted a form with fur when his companion jumped out of the hot springs only to shake and get him wet again.

                “Should have turned you into a toad…” he muttered as he walked off and the cat mewed innocently before climbing some roots and leaping onto his shoulder.

Dispelling the polymorph as the cat snuck into the changing room got him a few looks from the halflings coming out but pretending he didn’t know what was going on had become second nature for the half bard.

                “So?” Excalibur’s voice sounded from the cloak waiting for Adolamin where he left it. “How’d it go? According to plan?”

                “Define “according to plan”, Ex.” A few more strange looks from people changing but know what? If he got a reputation for being the weird wizard talking to himself that’ll be a nice change of pace.

                “Did you scare her into opening up.” now the looks were pointed at the cloak. The eavesdroppers quickly vacated. “Or did you scare her into closing you off even more?”

                “Neither were the intended result but we’ll go with…” he paused as he let a mischievous smile scrawl itself on his face. “Sure.”

The guardian was silent as he possessed his ward but a moment later he was yelling _"what is THAT supposed to mean??”_. When Crystal reappeared she gave him a nod and asked if he was interested in a race. When Adolamin agreed he summoned his star bike- and was a little startled to see a similar one fly off before his.

                “Loser eats Mia and Zwei’s cooking!” was the last thing he heard before the enchantress’s bike _fucking plane shifted away._

                “…no! FUCK YOU!” he revved his back and did the same.

**Author's Note:**

> I struggle with spelling and grammar, even while using spell check. i accept critic and advice!


End file.
